I noted 2 black redstarts on the roofs near the Merrion Camp car-park which was a good start.
Small numbers of skylarks appeared to be moving west over the dunes - probably 100 or more in a couple of hours. Starlings were numerous - at least a couple of thousand were feeding in the dune grassland.
A ring ouzel was a nice find in scrub near Frainslake Millpond where a male chiffchaff was singing in the willows (one in full song was a bit unusual I thought in November); a male blackcap was also feeding nearby. Small numbers of redwings were feeding in the dunes (others were noted flying approx south). Not less than 25 choughs were feeding in the dune grassland.
A female merlin was seen a couple of times near the beach, chasing pipits and occasionally having a go at small numbers of chaffinches flying over west. Two bramblings were also heard going over. A couple of woodcock were flushed on the way to the beach.
A flock of 65 ringed plovers was resting on Frainslake Sands, plus 42 oystercatchers. 52 curlews were feeding in the grassland above Great Furzenip. Offshore there were 35 common scoters, flying initially and then resting and feeding off Frainslake/Freshwater West beaches.
Interestingly though, it was Lepidoptera that provided the highlight: not less than 50 red admiral butterflies and 6 painted ladies were watched coming in over the sea during a 2 hour period - all appeared to be flying north. Quite a late autumn movement of these migratory species? In addition, other insects included a single southern hawker and 5 migrant hawker dragonflies near Frainslake Millpond.
A Red Admiral: not one of those at Castlemartin today but one of many noted back in September on Skokholm.
Bob